Special Issue Editors
- Marianna Pavan, Manchester Metropolitan University | m.pavan@mmu.ac.uk
- Paul Widdop, Manchester Metropolitan University | P.Widdop@mmu.ac.uk
- Seamus Byrne, Manchester Metropolitan University | S.Byrne@mmu.ac.uk
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) (UNGA, 2006) acknowledges the human right to “participate on an equal basis with others in recreational, leisure and sporting activities” (art. 30.5). This mandate requires institutions and policymakers to ensure these rights are upheld. However, the extent to which people with disabilities have fair and equal access to the complete range of sport consumption experiences remains debatable, contested, and under researched.
Building on existing human rights law, including General Comment N.21 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) (CESCR, 2009) – which emphasised the right to participate in cultural life, including access to sports venues – this call for papers furthers the international calls for the establishment of proactive efforts to eliminate discrimination for those with disabilities and ensure accessibility for all. Nevertheless, disabled sports fans continue to face a variety of ongoing barriers in the context of sport consumption, ranging from physical and financial obstacles, in addition to social and behavioural challenges. These encompass restricted transportation access, complicated ticketing procedures, insufficient facilities, social isolation within venues, and dealing with abusive behaviours (see Level Playing Field, 2023).
This special issue explores the sport consumer experiences of people with disabilities, treating sport consumption as a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by cultural, social, economic, legal and institutional forces. It seeks to shed light on how disabled fans navigate barriers, develop meaning through their fandom, and encounter inclusion and exclusion in their participation within sports consumption.
This collection seeks to offer a comprehensive examination of sport across local, national, and international contexts. It welcomes interdisciplinary scholarship that critically interrogates current practices, identifies prevailing challenges, and explores strategic approaches to advancing inclusive sport consumer experiences for disabled fans.
Themes
This special issue invites submissions from a variety of disciplines including sport and cultural studies, sociology, management, marketing, law, leisurestudies and political science. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Accessibility to Sporting Events
- Examining 1st and 2nd-tier professional sports events
- Structural and systemic barriers to inclusion
- The Matchday Experience
- Accessibility of ticketing systems, parking, stewarding, refreshments, seating, and public transportation
- Emotional and social dimensions of attending a sports event (e.g., feelings of belonging, alienation, or exclusion)
- The Economic Perspective
- The cost of disabled fans’ participation in sports, including hidden financial burdens
- Intersectional Experiences
- Understanding the distinct experiences of disabled female fans and other marginalised groups within disabled communities
- Belonging and Visibility
- How disabled fans form identities and communities within sporting spaces
- The role of fandom as a site of resistance or marginalisation
- Discrimination and Abuse
- Exploring the prevalence, forms, and impacts of discriminatory practices in sports venues
- Human Rights Law
- Exploring the human rights challenges and/or protections for those with disabilities at the local, national, regional and/or international level.
Contributors are encouraged to use diverse theoretical frameworks and methodologies to explore:
- Cultural and Social Dimensions of Sport Consumption
- How sport consumption practices shape and are shaped by cultural and social contexts
- Marketplace Structures and Dynamics
- How legal systems, institutions, and policies influence disabled fans’ access to and experiences of sports consumption
- Innovations and Opportunities
- The role of technology and emerging practices in improving or complicating accessibility for disabled fans
References
Level Playing Field (2023) Annual Fun Survey Results Summary. Available at: https://s27807.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/Annual-Fan-Survey-2023-Summary.pdf (Accessed: 19 January 2025). (Accessed: 19 January 2025).
United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) (2009) General Comment No. 21, Right of everyone to take part in cultural life (art. 15, para. 1a of the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. E/C.12/GC/21.
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) (2006) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. UNTS, Vol. 2515, p. 3.
Project Theoretical, Practical and Policy Implications
This Special Issue will provide significant analytical, empirical and theoretical data on the on the consumer experience of disabled fans’ consumer experiences across a variety of sports and different global contexts. This information is crucial for informing future accessibility policies that uphold human rights and anti-discrimination standards, ensuring that sports environments become more inclusive and equitable for all.
Submission Instructions
- Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday 21 November 2025
- Files should include a title, authors, and an abstract of no more than 250 words. Submissions should be sent to m.pavan@mmu.ac.uk;p.widdop@mmu.ac.uk and s.byrne@mmu.ac.uk.
- Confirmation of Invitations to Submit Full Papers: 17 December 2025
- Deadline for Full Paper Submission: 30 June 2026
- Estimated Decision Date: 30 September 2026
- Expected Publication Date: February 2027
- Paper Length: Maximum 8.000 words, including abstract, tables/figures, and references.
- Submission Process: Papers should be submitted to the guest editors via email. Author guidelines and further information about the journal can be found at: [https://www.tandfonline.com/action/authorSubmission?show=instructions&journalCode=rmle21].
